


and when we laugh together

by unhappyrefrain



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Multi, Possible AU, basically: too many dorks, plus three dumb preteen boys, ricken and olivia and their lesbian best friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-05
Updated: 2013-09-05
Packaged: 2017-12-25 17:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/955940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unhappyrefrain/pseuds/unhappyrefrain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>in their tight-knit group of friends, everybody loved everybody else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and when we laugh together

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keriito](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keriito/gifts).



Inigo learns how to dance, in quiet, bashful steps. He is fourteen, just barely an adolescent, his gangly limbs yet to gain tone or flesh, but he still dances alongside his mother in peaceful stretches of the woods where it seems as if no one save Naga herself could look in. He had grown up watching her mother stretch in the mornings, her body bending gracefully in ways he never knew were possible, and when she caught him staring at her as she warmed up she blushed profusely. She didn't tell him to leave, however-- she was not that kind of mother. Instead she guided Inigo's trembling steps, and as a child just barely learning that most girls didn't bend like Mother, move and flow like her, (and didn't leave behind what seemed like a trail of light when they walked) he learned to dance. 

And now he is here with Olivia, in the early hours of the morning, following each guiding step. He makes silly faces at Ricken behind Mother's back (because he knows his silly father is behind a bush tall enough to hide him, in order to watch the love of his life dance) and every so often Olivia stops to scan the horizons for any approaching strangers or friends, her eyes low, face lit red and warm against the early-morning light.

Inigo turns around and taps Olivia on the back.

"Mother, can we stop for today? I wanted to ask Brady something and I think you'll like it if it works out, so..." He tucks his hands behind his back and sways, awkwardly.

"Oh, that's fine. I haven't had tea with Maribelle in a couple of days now," she giggles. "Maybe while you're there you can at least try to teach Owain how to pick up girls! He'll be single forever if he doesn't stop with his theatrics."

She says this so affectionately, nearly hiding her face in her hands, and Inigo chuckles. " _Finally_ you see what I'm getting at! No one's gonna buy that... uh, what was the thing he said? Binding blade! Secret art..." he continues, gesturing with his hands, and Olivia ruffles his hair.

"You're starting to sound like him! Go quick before it gets any worse," she jokes, her face still gently colored, and he grins back at her before running through the bushes-- and tripping over a small, warm breathing lump just outside the hedge.

"Oww--!" 

Ricken shouts in pain, but Inigo claps a hand over his mouth and Olivia stands up, looking desperately around. "Father! Be quiet! She'll hear you!"

"Aww, fine. But that hurt!" He says it loud enough that Olivia hears, and she squeaks in embarrassment and is gone. Ricken giggles.

"Your mother is the most talented woman in the world, and she STILL gets nervous when people watch her!" He exclaims, pouting, before catching Inigo by the elbow and walking with him back to their house.

* * *

 "Brady!! Hey, Brady--"

The boy is nearly a head taller than him already, with a violin scar across his pale forehead, and Inigo hears Maribelle's shrill, mirthful laughter from inside the kitchen.

"Oh, that's simply _mar_ velous! My dear Ricken, I thought she knew you watched-- Lissa, no, darling, let me pour that--"

Brady sighs.

"They're all yakkin' about silly noble things. C'mon, let's go to my room! Ma got me a practice cello, she hates ta buy me somethin' pricey what I'll just break..."

Down the stairs Inigo can hear his mother's quiet, abashed laugh as the sound of shattering porcelain echoes from the kitchen and Lissa lets out a long groan.

" _Lissa_ , my _love_ ," Maribelle is saying, but she's properly choking on her laughter as she reprimands her wife. 

* * *

 "Alright, so this here's a new rondo I did while Ma was outta the house, and I reckon now it'd be real nice if you came up with a dance or somethin'..." Brady grins lopsidedly. "though i dunno if it's the right pace--"

"Skyward... SHIELD! Infinite GREATSWORD!"

Owain bursts into the room, holding a whittled stick above his head.

"Owain, I think you gotta give it a scabbard for it to be a great sword..."

"No!! It's gotta be-- I mean, this blade of legends already quite surpassesses the limits of mortal scabbards! In the shimmering footsteps of triumphant weapons such as the legendary Gaé Bolg and the..."

They've all three gone silent. Inigo doesn't even bother to correct Owain's attempt at big words, and from downstairs Inigo hears another teacup shatter and the clatter of a kettle to the floor, followed immediately by Lissa's frustrated whine.

"Yeesh... Mum can never get her hands workin' right, can she?" Brady turns to Owain.

"She's a scion of legend to the exalted bloodline! The holy blood in her veins is pulsing madly!! Lo, how shameful it is that she must fumble with her hands like that..."

Inigo sighs. 

"Seriously, I wonder how I'll ever pick up girls with friends like you two around..."

"You don't gotta always fret about  _girls,_ Inigo," Brady says, the smile spreading across his face so high that it shifts his scar further up his forehead. "You've got us! Anyway, you get how girls are, yeah? Ma's always talkin' up a storm, and Mum's the worst at doin' dishes there ever was. Save the girls for later."

From the kitchen the echoes of their families' laughter sound lovely and full. 


End file.
